On 18 January Mercabarna and the Institute for Agrofood Research and Technology (IRTA) signed an agreement to work together in the areas of research and technology transfer. Montserrat Gil de Bernabé, managing director of Mercabarna, and Josep M. Monfort, managing director of the IRTA, endorsed the pact which seeks to promote agrofood research in the sectors of fruit and vegetables, meat, and fish and seafood in aspects such as technological innovation in processing, preservation, packaging and commercial life, and the development of packaged, ready-to-eat fresh and prepared products.

New office in Mercabarna
To achieve these goals, the IRTA will open a new office in Mercabarna, to be located in the same building as the banks and savings banks, to advise precinct businesses on issues related to agrofood research and innovation. Jointly with the Mercabarna Training Area it will also launch training actions and day sessions on technology innovation, aimed at Food Unit firms.